Legends of Gravity Falls: The Shadow in the Forest
by MandoCommander
Summary: First installment for my revised Gravity Falls series. As the one-eyed demon prepares to carry out his plans, the Pines family and their friends begin to discover the true consequences for his success, as well as how far, strong, and close his reach is. Mysterious and ancient powers good and evil come together for the approaching storm. Please leave reviews. Sequel in progress.
1. Chapter 1: Servants of Cipher

Legends of Gravity Falls: The Shadow in the Forest

Chapter 1: Servants of Cipher

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Gravity Falls…**

 _"_ _The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing"_

In a desolate, barren and rocky mountain range stood a lone Tudor mansion, a massive one. A brick fence topped with black iron spikes and a set of black iron gates barred outside access. It was a dark and dreary day with grey clouds. The rumbling of thunder and the crackling of lightning sounded all around the area. Inside a back room in the mansion's main building sat a lone man shrouded from view under his black robes, his hood covering most of his face in shadow. The robes were decorated in three gold fabric collars and cuffs. He sat on a single chair looking out the grand window to the outside world. The room was decorated with intricate paintings and fancy statue busts, book shelves and sitting areas were other features along with a desk with a single computer on it. A globe and a map both sat on a central table. A wooden door opened and another robed man stepped inside, this one with a lone silver collar and two silver cuffs on his robes instead.

"Grand Master?" the new arrival spoke. The other man turned his chair around, apparently it being a fancy swivel, to face him.

"Hello, my champion. Speak." The man commanded.

"The Council of the Chosen requests your presence to finalize the next phase of the plan, your excellency." The man explained.

"I see. Inform them I will be along shortly. I have been conversing with the Great One, to ensure we are doing his will as he sees fit. Be gone, he will not speak to me with others around."

"As you command, your excellency." The man left without another word. The other man turned back around to look outside once again. He closed his eyes before speaking again.

"Yes, yes, I will do as you command as always Great One. We all exist only to serve you. Soon we shall enter the town of Gravity Falls and ensure your will comes to fruition there as well." The man said darkly to whoever was commanding him. His eyes snapped back open suddenly. They glowed yellow and his pupils had turned pitch back, and an echo of sinister and eerily familiar laughter bellowed forth.

"AHAHAHAHA! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

Over in another section of the mansion inside a large assembly hall stood a large formation of people in black robes, all of them plain. They looked up to another robed man wearing the same silver accessories as the man who entered the back room earlier. Banners showing the symbol of the cult, an orange background with a black circle in the middle featuring a black battle hammer in the center, covered the walls. The cultists were chanting in unison.

"Earth, Sea, and Sky! Nowhere is beyond his eye! He sees, we obey, fall to your knees and pray! The Hammer rises, the Hammer falls! The unbelievers will lose it all!"

Meanwhile in Gravity Falls at the Mystery Shack, down in his private study, Grunkle Ford was pouring over his research. He was deep in thought and clearly had been at this pondering for hours, scattered papers, scrolls, and books lay about everywhere. The older man clearly needed sleep, his eyes bloodshot and wrinkled folds of skin were present under his eyelids. He finally slammed the last book he was reading closed and began speaking to himself.

"What can I do? Is there anything any of us can do?" Thinking for a moment his eyes widened, coming to a realization, "Yes, of course! It's a longshot but it may be our best option!" Pulling out the first journal, he opened it to a page that had the image of a mysterious, suited figure in old-fashioned garb with a single name inscripted, _"_ _Lord Walter Starnhorst"_. The next page had the illustration of an old Victorian mansion in disrepair and titled, _"_ _Starnhorst Manor"._

Over at the Ciniplex Theatre in downtown, Dipper, Mabel, Grenda, Candy, Wendy, Pacifica, Thompson, Nate, Lee, Robbie, and Tambry were all watching a new film release, " _Decimator: These Genocidal Robots Just Keep Coming Back!"_. One of the actors, a middle-aged man with blonde hair, spoke in his thick accent, "I'll be bach! vith veapons!"

"Kinda hard to believe this guy was the governor of our home state" Dipper whispered to Mabel.

"Yeah, and Dipper, I am holding you to your promise to see the next _My Small Pony_ movie with me. What girl my age would possibly find this type of thing enjoyable?" Mabel asked her twin.

"Uhh, Mabel, I think you need to only look to your left for your answer." Dipper replied. His twin did so and her eyes widened. Grenda was really into the movie.

"Yeah! Smash it! Destroy them all!" The masculine girl called out to the screen in her deep voice, crushing a bag of popcorn in her grip and making Candy, who sat on her own left, cringe. Dipper felt a nudge on his shoulder and saw the Northwest girl on his right, wanting to whisper him something.

"For the record, I agree with Mabel."

"Yeah, yeah, I kinda figured." The young boy replied.

Back at the Mystery Shack, Grunkle Stan was showing a tour group through one of the back rooms, "And here we have an actual alien corpse, generously donated from Area 51!" The display was clearly a bunch of taxidermied animal parts with bits of an alien Halloween costume sewn together, but the clueless crowd was eating it up as they awed at the sight and took pictures. Grunkle Ford came rushing in, clearly having just come up from the lower levels. He was out of breath. Everyone turned to face him and Stan tried to come up with an excuse as he walked over to his twin.

"Uhhh… sorry folks, we have a bit of a drifter problem out here and sometimes they just wander in. This'll just be a minute. Come on, sir, I'll get you something to eat." Once in the next room Ford quickly moved out of his grip on his shoulders as he tried to usher him away.

"Listen, Stanley, we need to have another emergency meeting. Get the kids and your employees together on the double! This little fake museum junk is over for the day!"

"I'm with paying customers, pal! Whatever nerd thing this is, it can wait!" Stan retorted.

"It's about… Bill" Ford informed his brother, who's eyes widened at the realization.

"I'll… uh... I'll wrap up this last tour for the day then…" Stan nodded in understanding. Within the next half an hour Stan and the twins along with Wendy and Soos, and Waddles all sat at the table in the kitchen, with Ford standing to address them.

"All right, I've called you all here because I've decided there can be no more secrets. All of us here have a stake in the outcome of coming events, and dire consequences await if we aren't prepared to face them."

"Great Uncle Ford, what else can we possibly do? We shielded the shack from Bill's influence, and without knowing the full extent of his plans there isn't much else we can do right now, right?"

"Yes, Dipper, we did secure the shack, but the rest of the town remains vulnerable to Bill and his illusions." Ford replied.

"Well, what else can we do?" Wendy asked.

"Bill and his nefarious friends in his dimension are dangerous and mystical beings of unknown origin. If we want to continue evening the scales to increase our odds, I believe we will need to enlist the aid of a similar being from our own dimension. There may be a suitable candidate right here in these woods." Ford opened the first journal to the page with the mysteriously secretive man and showed it to the others.

"I don't know, brother, are you sure seeking out that place is wise?" Stan asked.

"What place?" Mabel asked as she cuddled Waddles. Stan elaborated.

"Deep in the darkest part of the woods north of the town is an old mansion. It's supposed to be older than every other place in the whole county, and it's guarded by stone walls and iron gates, and it looks like it's abandoned. But nobody who's ever trespassed inside has come back the same. Rumor has it an old recluse lives inside and never leaves. Very creepy place, haunted I bet."

"One time I went with Robbie, Tambry, Nate, and Lee up to that place. It gave us major creep vibes. Robbie tried to hop the fence but he couldn't make it. We decided to turn back, and probably for the best given all that we've seen this summer." Wendy commented.

"Oh it's indeed haunted, but it's not a place of evil. At least, nowhere near Bill evil. I journeyed to this place only once, it's called Starnhorst Manor. The owner is an immortal being of an incredible history, I met him and we talked for hours and hours. He refuses to join the outside world and as much as it saddened me he made me swear to reveal nothing about him and his followers in my published material. But in the end, he never betrayed me, and so I think we can safely go to him." Ford explained to everyone.

"Who is he, his name is Walter Starnhorst, right?" Dipper asked.

"He is an ancient man, and a vampire. I'm sure he would be willing to explain more. He is rather hospitable despite the stereotype for his kind."

"Eeeeep! A vampire!" Mabel was giddy at the possibility of meeting a real live vampire.

"Don't get your hopes up, Mabel. The guy is ancient after all." Stan rolled his eyes at the fantasy of his niece.

"Well, I suppose we should get going. The sooner the better, right?" Soos chimed in.

 _"_ _The bell tolls for thee, your time is nigh. His will shall be done without weep or cry. The faithful will soon receive their just reward. It would not have been possible without the one you call Ford."_

 **A/N: I sincerely would appreciate more reviews from any and all readers. I put a lot of thought into each chapter, and I value the thoughts of my audience.**


	2. Chapter 2: Forsaken

Legends of Gravity Falls: The Shadow in the Forest

Chapter 2: Forsaken

Within the Mindscape, his own to be precise, the Grand Master of Midnight met with his own master, the nefarious demon named Bill Cipher. The two were surrounded by a landscape that resembled a ruined New Jersey city block by a broken boardwalk, including a run-down and abandoned version of the Pines Pawn.

"My, my, it is just me or is every meeting within your mind more depressing than the last? Look at this place!" The triangular demon remarked sarcastically.

"The past has a way of making itself known within the Mindscape, you were the one who taught me that, my master." The robed, lone human replied.

"Come on, can't you make this fun for me? Anyway, I trust you are prepared to move out on my orders. This cannot be done without the role I gave you and the cult."

"Yes, of course, sir. All has been prepared exactly to your specifications."

"Well that's good to hear, and I am certain the fact that you need to face the Pines family means nothing to you, yes? You know I am aware of your past connections, and I don't mean just from this wonderful setting." Bill asked his subordinate.

"I knew the Pines brothers once, but our paths diverged decades ago. I am entirely committed to fulfilling the tasks you lay before me, sir. Time and time again I have served you with success and earned my reward." The Grand Master reaffirmed his loyalty.

"Indeed you have. Remember, for what I have planned, only those who serve the cause without hesitation will enjoy the paradise of my design."

"All the unbelievers will suffer as they deserve. All of our enemies will fall by your will, my master."

"Yes, float with me my friend. Let us discuss the events to come, and of course your greatest reward yet."

As the ruined and broken buildings continued to slowly crumble and fall apart, the two mysterious beings departed far into the distance and out of sight into a mass of empty whiteness. In the woods north of Gravity Falls, the Pines family, Wendy, and Soos were all heading up a poorly-maintained dirt road, littered with rocks and overgrowth. Ford was leading them. Soon they passed through the ruins of an old town, one that looked like a frontier village. Most of the wooden buildings had long since rotted away, leaving only foundations. A few traces of the old walls and their supports remained, and even some bits of roofs that had not caved in. As they walked past, the hikers could make out shops, a town hall, a blacksmith, a sheriff's office, and a schoolhouse.

"Incredible! What is this place?" Dipper asked, amazed at the discovery.

"Northdale, a former mining town that like so many others out west was abandoned when the mines depleted. Starnhorst was the founder."

"How much further? We've been walking for at least half an hour, most of it uphill. Ugh, everything hurts." Stan complained.

"Seriously, Mr. Pines? You need to get out more." Wendy commented as she hacked a branch out of the way with her axe.

"And you need to be quiet more." The old man replied.

"Enough, we're here." Ford pushed some brush out of the way and revealed their destination, a large Victorian mansion. Bits of its wooden side structure were rotted through, while other planks were loose. Some roof tiles were also either loose or missing. A large stone wall wrapped around the perimeter and elegant but rusted iron gates marked the way inside. They were however locked shut, both by their own lock and by a second lock on a heavy chain wrapped around and between both gates.

"Oh yeah, getting major creep vibes here." Soos remarked at the sight.

"All in favor of turning back and forgetting we ever came here, say 'I'." Stan added. Ford scoffed at the notion.

"Come on now, I told all of you the man was a recluse who doesn't want contact with the outside world. This is all a façade, intended to scare trespassers away. Evidently it has worked many times over the years. Follow my lead." The scientist led the group up to the gates. On the right built into the wall was a worn and rusted callbox. Ford pressed the button but got only a tiny bit of static and then silence. "Looks like this thing is no longer working either. Damn shame what he had to let go for this place." Ford lamented before shouting instead, "Hello! Anyone home?! It's me, Ford! Remember?! It's Doctor Pines!" A few moments passed before Dipper spoke up.

"Maybe we should turn back…"

"We've come all this way, there must be a way in." Mabel wasn't as easily turned away.

As if on cue, and as if by an unseen force, both locks clicked open and the chain unwrapped itself and fell to the ground. Unsealed for the first time in over thirty years, the rusted gates creaked open, granting access to the visitors.

"All right, then. Let's head in. I knew he would let us enter." Ford smiled at the turn of events. The others still looked unsure.

"Let's hurry, it looks like a storm is approaching." Dipper remarked as he observed dark storm clouds forming overhead. Once everyone walked in beyond the gates, they creaked closed and locked back up, the chain returning to its former position. Ford reassured everyone again.

"Don't worry, it's just part of the tight security that is the norm around here. He's a friend, trust me."

Once everyone was up the front steps and at the grand oaken doors, Ford gently knocked. Dipper couldn't help but notice the heads of the gargoyle statues on the roof had angled to face them. The doors opened slowly, revealing a lone man who had come to greet them. He was an elderly white man with grey hair in an old-style tuxedo with a black bowtie and white gloves. His expression was emotionless, but wary at the same time.

"Welcome back to Starnhorst Manor, Mr. Pines. I see you have brought company this time. You should know that the master does not like unannounced visitors. You were the first and remain the only exception." The man spoke in a British accent.

"Hello again, Jeeves. These are family and friends, and they all share in what I must speak with Lord Starnhorst about. May we enter, please?" Ford asked. The butler thought for a moment before giving his reply.

"Very well, but as the first outsider granted access to this place in over one hundred and twenty years, you will be responsible for their words and actions. Appropriate action will be taken by the guards to defend the master if needed. You have been warned."

"Thank you. We won't be any trouble." Mabel smiled. The butler remained with his stoic, unmoved expression.

"That remains to be seen. Now please follow me. The master sensed your arrival, and now he desires to meet with you in the parlor. It would be most impolite to keep him waiting."

Once everyone was inside the doors closed and locked behind them. The atrium was grand, lavishly decorated with fine rugs, hand-carved wooden staircase, a beautiful and ornate chandelier, and magnificent paintings and sculptures. The room was lit very dimly, giving it an eerie appearance. The rest of the manor was the same, essentially. Following the old man down the main hallway under the both the twin grand sets of stairs, the Pines family and their friends passed a row of full sets of medieval knight armor on both sides, each one gripping a halberd. Metal grinded against metal as the helmets turned to face their direction.

"As I said, the guards will defend the master if needed. Rest assured you will only incur their wrath if you threaten him or us." Jeeves explained as he continued to walk without turning around, and finally turned to a door on the left, opening it for the others. "The master is inside. Do not betray the trust he has gifted you outsiders. You will regret it if you do."

Once inside the room, the butler closed the door behind them. The room was decorated similar to the hallways and atrium, but featured busts of historical individuals and multiple tables and bookshelves, fully stocked with reading material from over the centuries. The fireplace was brightly lit with a beautiful painting of a sailing ship on the high seas over it. Thunder and lightning rumbled and crackled outside as rain poured against the windows. The storm had begun and it was a severe one. Inside the room, the master of the manor was nowhere to be seen.

"This is getting creepier by the minute. I can't help but get this very dark feeling." Dipper commented.

"Don't worry, its fine. He is better than appearances would seem to indicate." Ford once again reassured everyone. Suddenly a voice called out from the chair in front of the fireplace. The speaker had a thick German accent.

"Velcome bach, Vord, my old vriend. And hello to vou, my new viseitorz. Please do come clozer, vou have notheing to fear…"

"Walter Starnhorst, it has been some time…" Ford recognized the voice.

"I am afraid zhe ztorm haz vlooded zhe road. All of vou vill have to ztay the night…"


	3. Chapter 3: Nightfall

Legends of Gravity Falls: The Shadow in the Forest

Chapter 3: Nightfall

As the storm continued to rage outside, the Pines family and their friends were unsure of what to do with the sudden declaration of their host that they would have to spend the night inside the old mansion. Dipper spoke first.

"Uhhh, thanks but no thanks, we can walk back just fine."

"Nein, it takez conzeidereible teim to travel to and vrom vour town to zhis place. Jeeves vill give you vooms to zpend zhe night. Now, onto buiziness, az nobodi comez here on sozeil callz." The vampire finally stood up and left the chair, walking around to face the others. He wore an old-fashioned suit with a tall collar and long black cape. His black hair was neat and his eyes were crimson red. His face was pale, his ears pointed, and his fingers were long and boney. He gave his guests a smile, revealing his fangs. Everyone except Ford and Mabel looked ready to run out. The former walked up to the vampire and the two men shook hands.

"Walter, this is my family and two new friends. My brother Stanley, and my great niece and nephew, Mabel and Dipper. These other two are Wendy and Soos. We are grateful for your hospitality."

"Zhe pleasure is mein. It iz not often I geit gueztz vho don't weish to keill me." His smile was more genuine than menacing. Mabel took the initiative next. She walked up to him with a big grin.

"Hello, Mabel here, but you know that already! Omigosh, so you're a real vampire, huh? Let's get this out of the way, first, so awesome, so awesome!"

"Guten tag, Mabel. Yes, I am a vampire, and I am szhure a lot of vou have questionz. However firzt I muzt zpeak vith Vord. I can tell it iz urgent." Walter smiled at her before looking back up to Ford.

"Yes, well, it's a long story, and I know you owe neither me nor anyone here anything, but I really hope you'll say yes." Ford began. Walter reassured him.

"Yah, yah, keep goeing. I cannot agree unless I know vhat it iz vou need of me."

Meanwhile back at the remote manor of the cultists, in the lower levels beneath the assembly hall and underground, the cultists burned pyres at sacrificial altars littered with the bones and skulls of both humans and other demons. Banners showing the symbol of the cult as well as the same banner from the Northwest Manor, showing Bill Cipher hovering over a burning landscape littered with bones and human worshippers kneeling and praying, were covering the walls. Crests and runes of blood were smeared across the bare section of walls, all done by hand. The human skulls lined atop the altars were smashed with heavy black hammers, while the demon skulls were drenched in collected blood poured over them. The cultists were all reciting another chant in unison.

"He is our salvation, he is the end of your sanction! We answer his beckoning, you suffer his reckoning! Beg for mercy, scum of unbelief! All of you are corpses of disbelief!" The Grand Master recited his own speech from the far end of the room near the doorway.

"We are his willing servants, his mortal champions! He is the one who sees and knows all! We all serve him and reap his eternal gifts! Let his voice be your guide! Let his will be your own! The Great Lord of Mind and Eye!"

"Your will is our own, we serve you to the end and beyond, Great Lord of Mind and Eye!" The rest of the cultists chanted in reply. The Grand Master retreated back up to his private room and once there he meet with his top two subordinates, both of them wearing the robes of the elite master rank, a rank second only to the Grand Master. They both wore black robes with gold collars and wrists, though they both featured two rows of wrists instead of three. And the first one had two rows of collars instead of three, and the second had just one row. The Grand Master of Midnight welcomed them.

"Welcome back, Grand Harvester, and you as well, Prime Councilman of the Chosen. Tomorrow is the day, as you both know." Both men grinned under their hoods. The first of them replied first.

"Yes, time to begin a new harvest. The souls of the town will make fitting tributes to the Great One." The Grand Harvester replied. The second one spoke next.

"Finally, after one hundred and fifty years of my family in service to him, I will be the one to see the plan come to fruition." The Prime Councilman was eager as well.

"Understandable, as it should be. Your wealth was essential for us to get this far, Prime Councilman. Or as everyone in that town knows you, Mr. Northwest." The Grand Master agreed with his own grin. Preston merely nodded in reply, his own twisted smile never leaving his face.

"Shall we drink to the glory of our lord?" The Grand Harvester suggested as he poured a glass of wine. The other men joined him.

"A toast, to the Great Lord of Mind and Eye!" The Grand Master said as he raised his glass along with the others.

"To the Great Lord of Mind and Eye!" The Grand Harvester and the Prime Councilman said in unison. The three highest-ranking servitors of Bill Cipher drank their toast, all of them eager to begin the plans, plans for the end of the world as everyone knew it.

Back at Starnhorst Manor, Ford had just finished explaining everything to Walter, with some help from the others of course. The ancient vampire barely needed a moment to process the information before giving his answer.

"Of courze I vill help vou, all of vou. Vour people and mein have never sein eye to eye and sharing zhis vorld haz never come eazy. However, no innozent life dezervez to suffer under zhe vrath of demonic tyranny. I have dealt vith zhe demonz before, and am not afraid to do zo agein. I am strigoi, we never back down." Everyone gave at least some measure of an expression of relief at his words.

"Thank you, we will need a man of your experience with the dark realms if we are to stop Bill and his plans." Ford reaffirmed for his friend.

"Whatever iz required to devend zhis vorld, I vill do it. But now, it iz time for us all to retire. Jeeves vill show vou to vour vooms." The others looked back as the door creaked open to reveal the butler had indeed returned.

"If you will come with me, I will show you your accommodations for the night. If you break anything I will enjoy imprisoning your souls in the cellar." Everyone else's eyes went wide, except for Walter who spoke next.

"Zer goot, my old vriend, zer goot. I look vorvard to zeeing all of vou in zhe morning. Have a mozt pleazant night in my lovely home."

Jeeves led the others out of the parlor and up a few floors to their private rooms, except Dipper and Mabel, who were given a room with twin beds. Still, it was exceptionally more luxurious and fancy than the attic back at the shack. The storm was still on full swing outside. Before shutting the door behind him as he left, Jeeves wished them goodnight in his own morbid way.

"Goodnight, children. Don't let the ghosts bite, because they will." Both twins agreed with a silent nod to the other to keep the lights on for the night.

"I don't know how to feel about all this." Dipper told Mabel as he tucked himself in.

"I know, this place is pretty scary, but hey, at least Walter said he'll help us. This can't be all bad." The young but sensitive girl was positive as usual.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Lately it's hardly ever been as bad as I thought it would be." Dipper lamented all of his recent slipups. Mabel gave him a light smile as she tried to cheer him up.

"Oh, come on, bro-bro, there's no use beating yourself up. You've been right about things many times before too. You see with your mind, I see with my heart. Together we're a great team. Nothing can stop the Mystery Twins!"

"Yeah, you're right again" Dipper chuckled before adding with a smile, "Thanks, Mabel. Goodnight, Mystery Twin."

"Goodnight, Mystery Twin." Mabel replied in a likewise manner. And with that the two twins went to sleep even as the storm bellowed in fury outside. Back at the other manor, the Grand Master of Midnight was alone in his back room. He looked out the window even as its exterior was drenched in falling rain and lightning flashed and thunder rumbled outside.

"Tomorrow, we write history…"


	4. Chapter 4: The Midnight Hammer

Legends of Gravity Falls: The Shadow in the Forest

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars.**

Chapter 4: The Midnight Hammer

The sun was still rising into the morning sky when the Pines, Wendy, and Soos departed back down the road from the Starnhorst Manor, the gates sealing and locking back up behind them. They had to trudge through some mud down the trail, the dirt drenched from the torrential rains overnight. Finally as they passed through the ruins of Silverton, Wendy broke the silence.

"To be honest I got like zero sleep last night. I felt like someone was watching me even though I was alone in my room."

"Yeah girl dude, totally. It is was being in an actual horror movie." Soos agreed.

"Well over the centuries Walter has seen hundreds come and go at his manor. I wouldn't be surprised if a few souls decided not to leave when their time was done." Ford explained.

"He seemed friendly but remember what you wrote in your journals, Great Uncle Ford? Trust no one. How can we be sure this guy is on our side?" Dipper questioned.

"I agree with the kid, that guy had bad news written all over him." Stan, for a change, sided with Dipper. Mabel frowned at the two of them.

"That's not right, guys. Sure the place was super creepy but Walter seemed genuine to me. And even if you don't like him he's sticking his neck out to help us against Bill. Can you at least be a bit grateful to him?" Dipper gave an unsure smile as his sister finished.

"Sure, of course. Anyone who's willing to go against Bill can't be all bad."

"Well now that this mess is settled for the moment, let's just focus on getting back to the shack. I've had enough of these woods for a while." Stan complained as the group kept hiking back to town. Little did any of them know in a few hours everything would change for them, and nothing would ever be the same.

The sun was beginning to set. Up on one of the mountains overlooking Gravity Falls, in the back of the deep cave where Ford had first found the prehistoric paintings and inscriptions for Bill Cipher, a lone boulder that seemed to blend in perfectly with the other rocks and cave walls had been moved out of place, revealing a hidden, carved-out tunnel behind it, illuminated with wall torches that led down multiple flights of stone steps. More illustrations of Bill adorned the walls, but these were painted in blood. Eventually the stairs gave way to a hidden underground temple adorned with the banners of the cult and more of the tapestries of Bill over the burning world. As some cultists chanted in unison others were smearing new runes of blood along the stone floor in a circular pattern. On the wall in front of them even more were painting Bill's wheel on it with the same substance. The Grand Master of Midnight, the Grand Harvester, and the Prime Councilman all looked on. The leader spoke first, his voice filled with pride.

"Yes, it is almost complete. Once the last of the runes, the glasses and bag of ice, are finished we will be ready to move out."

"Very good." The Grand Harvester grinned in sadism.

"Each of the runes along the wheel marks a different sacrifice. What poor unfortunate souls." Preston remarked without remorse. The Grand Master replied.

"Their blood and organs will provide what we need to permanently sustain the portal, ensuring the link to the Nightmare Realm is never severed again. First however we must obtain the dimensional rift and bring it back here. And thankfully as our Lord of Mind and Eye sees all, he showed me exactly where we need to go." The three men turned around and saw a formation of cultists with silver collars and cuffs wielding swords and then a second one beside them in black ninja suits wielding double swords. The Grand Master of Midnight finished, "Champions and Assassins, prepare yourselves. We move on the place known as the Mystery Shack at the stroke of midnight." They all silently nodded in obedience of the order. The chanting continued all around them, the fervor increasing as the runes neared completion.

"When the moon turns bright and the star lights arise, we march forward, soldiers of Midnight and his eye! None shall stand before him or us! Steel to rust, and skin to dust!"

Back at the shack, Stan was locking up for the evening while Dipper, Mabel, Wendy, Soos, Candy, Grenda, and Pacifica were all getting geared up for video game night, and they had a selection to choose from for the first. Dipper pulled out the selection for the console from the cabinet next to the television.

"Okay, we have _Martians: Colonial Troopers_ , _Star Wars: The Next Awesome Game with a Story That Will Be Declared Non-Canon_ , _Summon of Duty: Yet Another Sequel Because We Are Out of Original Ideas_ , and _Thrillburg 4: Make Your Own Theme Park Yet Again!_ Anyone have a preference to start with?"

"All the others are rated M and have a lot of violence and bad language, so I say Thrillburg first!" Mabel smiled as she declared her choice, but quickly found herself outvoted by the others who all called out their choice together, causing the eyes of both twins to widen.

"Colonial Troopers!"

Back in the deep woods north of the town within Starnhorst Manor, Walter was looking through an old book, written in Elizabethan text, dating back to the early 1600's. The page he had opened the tome to had an illustration of Bill, and it seemed to be the start of a whole chapter devoted to knowledge of the demon. He spoke to seemingly no one in particular.

"Mozt interezteing… zhis demon haz been treadeing in and out of our vorld for thouzands of yearz. He iz zhe dark zpirit vou mentioned to me all thoze yearz ago?" And with that the ghost of a Native American chieftain manifested beside the vampire, who turned to face his now-visible guest.

"Indeed, the one your visitors last night called Bill Cipher. My people have always known him as the Dark One, manifesting only to trick and deceive poor souls to do his bidding and leave them either dead or in ruin when done with them. He predates even the first of our tribal elders, he is truly ancient, and all the more dangerous for it, having all this time to learn and prepare for whatever evil he is up to."

"Apparently he alzo menaced Reneizzance in Europe and England in particular. Zhis iz shapeing up to be zometheing vierce."

"I will bring forth the spirits of the ancestors to help you and these outsiders as best we can, but from the spirit realm our reach into the mortal one is limited. It will fall to you and them to stop him."

"I understand. Vhatever muzt be done, vill be done."

After the sunset and the rise of the dark night, the Champions and Assassins, led by the Grand Master and the Grand Harvester, approached the Mystery Shack. It was but a few minutes to midnight. Their leader addressed them as they readied to strike.

"Sons and daughters of the Midnight Hammer, prepare yourselves. The rift and any sacrifices within will be claimed before dawn."


	5. Chapter 5: The New Pawn

Legends of Gravity Falls: The Shadow in the Forest

Chapter 5: The New Pawn

With only two minutes until midnight, the Midnight Hammer was ready to the strike at the denizens of the Mystery Shack when a lone blonde girl appeared out of the dark at the side of the Grand Master, who quickly noticed her arrival.

"What are you doing out here, child? No witnesses, seize her!" He ordered just above a whisper. Pacifica Northwest looked up at the cultists, her eyes wide and dark yellow with pitch black pupils. She grinned and spoke in a familiar voice.

"You don't want to do that, humans."

"Great Lord of Mind and Eye! I apologize, when you said you were going to assist our efforts in-person I didn't realize it would literally be inside a person." The Grand Master bowed in respect as the Grand Harvester and the other cultists dropped to one knee and kneeled in reverence.

"I do have a knack for the extreme literal, hehe. Now, onto business. I believe it is midnight now, allow me to get the sacrifices inside the shack to open the door for you." The possessed girl's grin widened.

"Of course, do what you will, Great One. We exist to serve, and it will serve as an excellent diversion as we move in and destroy the building's alarm system before the attack. I trust this was your intention, yes?" The Grand Master asked.

"Yes, now move. The time has come. Take them alive and secure the rift at all costs, even your lives."

"Yes, my lord. All units advance! Our lord marches with us! See that he is not disappointed!"

"Yes your excellency, for his glory!" All was said just above a whisper and it was done.

The possessed girl pounded on the front door to awake whoever was inside and make them come to the front door, while the cultists moved around the building, surrounding it in the dark. Both the Grand Master and the Grand Harvester prepared to enter via the gift shop entrance, the former using an electromagnetic lockbreaker to both destroy the lock and short out the alarm system. At once the front door opened, unlocked and unsealed by a sleepy Dipper and Mabel. They were surprised at their new arrival and rubbed their eyes to be sure who it was.

"Pacifica? What are you doing here so late? It's… wait… this isn't right…" Dipper backed up cautiously, eyeing his sister to do the same.

"Dipper, that's no way to treat a guest." Mabel scolded her brother with a half-hearted smile, but her expression dropped at the sight of the fear in her brother's eyes.

"That's not who it looks like! Get back!" Dipper was on immediate alert. The possessed girl who had been concealing her face with a lowered head looked up at the twins at last, baring a deranged grin and releasing a demented cackle, the sinister yellow eyes revealed at last.

"My, my, my, my, my, my, my, my, you certainly have become more intuitive, Pine Tree. You are so much like Ford, you know. Too much for your own good." At these words, the Champions and Assassins moved into the shack, some coming up right behind the possessed girl while others broke through the windows. As both twins backed up further, they found their escape cut off by the arrival of the cult's leadership. Both robed men gave both frightened twins their own sinister grins and glares. The Grand Master spoke first.

"At last, the first two sacrifices are within our grasp. Take them alive, Grand Harvester." Said man immediately drew his scythe in his right hand, and it began to glow a deep green. He slammed it into the wooden floor, the dark energy seeping into the foundations and dirt beneath the shack. Cries and wails of groaning could be heard from the outside, all too familiar sounds. The Grand Harvester explained after he too cackled in sadistic delight.

"The corpses of the fallen now march on this building, children, and this time are obedient to my command. Even if you somehow got past all of us you would still have to face them. Now please, let's make this quick and without resistance, eh? We don't want to kill you, yet." He released his left hand, revealing two sets of old iron handcuffs and chains.

Dipper and Mabel, unarmed and terrified at the turn of events, could only watch helplessly as the two men moved to secure them as Bill looked on inside the possessed girl. At the last moment however, the other Pines twins arrived, Ford from down the hall with his laser gun drawn, and Stan down the steps wielding a steel bat and his brass knuckles. Waddles came down the stairs too, with an unusual growling behind his usual squeal, eager to defend his human friends. Stan spoke first.

"Breaking into this house and threatening these kids…"

"Was an unforgivable mistake." Ford finished. The Grand Master merely grinned at the two brothers before replying.

"Actually, this is good. Now we can seize all four of you at once. Revealing your hand to us was a mistake." The robed man drew two swords from within his robes, and simply by rubbing his thumbs down the leather-strap hilts he made the blades glow in fire. The Pines family all felt their eyes widen at the sight. The Grand Harvester yanked his scythe out of the floor and gripped it with both hands. By now dozens of zombies were outside, backing up all the cultists within.

"Surrender, and come with us in one piece. Or don't surrender, and come back with us still alive, but just barely. Oh and we'll be taking the dimensional rift, of course." Bill spoke through the possessed girl, his demented grin never dissipating.

"Bill… I figured with the shack guarded you'd try and possess someone in town." Ford recognized the voice immediately.

"You really are a genius, aren't you, Sixer?" Bill mocked his old puppet.

"Dimensional rift? What is he talking about? Start talking Ford!" Stan was more concerned with what he had just learned, as was Mabel.

"Dipper, did you know about this? And you didn't tell me?" Mabel was concerned and worried as she looked at her brother, who struggled with his response.

"I… well… I… it's not what it… it's…"

"Enough of this! Take them down and secure the rift! Now!" Bill lost his patience, his voice shifting to its dark tone as he made the girl's eyes turn crimson red to match his growing fury.

"Yes, my lord. Soldiers of Midnight, attack! Break them to bloody pulps if you have to, but make sure you take them alive!"

Ford threw Dipper his laser gun and the dimensional rift and immediately drew his own sword he had hidden away in his coat and lunged at the cultists while Stan threw Mabel her grappling hook and did the same.

"The rift! SEIZE IT!" Bill commanded in a rage.

Without stopping to think about it, Dipper fired the gun, the beam blasting a large group of cultists back and out the living room wall, incinerating a giant hole through it in the process. Mabel used her grappling hook to trip the possessed Northwest girl as she tried to attack. Waddles pounced on her to keep her from getting up. Ford and Stan were both fighting the rest of the cultists, including the duo in leadership. At that moment however, the zombies came in through the front door, the back door, the windows, and the hole in the wall, having been commanded by the Grand Harvester. Soon the Pines family was surrounded on all sides and almost completely overtaken.

"You have lost! None challenge us and emerge in victory!" The Grand Master declared as he forced Ford back with a frenzy of power, his eyes now glowing deep red. The Grand Harvester did a similar move on Stan, his eyes now glowing deep green. He too made his own decree.

"Your sacrifice will ensure the fall and rebirth of this world!"

At that moment, the zombies were attacked from behind, cut down by new arrivals. The animated suits of knight armor from Starnhorst Manor had arrived with their weapons and were providing much-needed back up, and soon their superior strength and protection, and the fact they were immune to infective zombie bites, enabled them to reach the shack itself. Walter himself was coming up behind them, using his own sword to hack through the zombies with his right hand, and immense strength to simply punch and swat them away with his left.

"I do not vorget a promize, Pinez family! Ve are here to help vou!" The vampire called out to his friends. The possessed girl got back on her feet after grabbing Waddles, and hurled the pig through the wall with inhuman strength, knocking him out. Both her hands glowed crimson red to match the fury within, by her controller.

"NOW YOU WILL EAT FURIOUS NIGHTMARES!" The demon punched down through the floor with both hands, summoning an earthquake in and around the shack. Both the older Pines twins knew even with reinforcements the situation was grim, as everyone besides the possessed girl struggled to keep standing as the building began to crumble around them. Stan called out to Walter, who was nearing the shack with his guards.

"Vampire, you need to get the kids to safety! We'll hold them off!"

"What?!" Dipper and Mabel shrieked in disbelief. At this point the animated knight suits were inside and fighting the other cultists, while Ford and Stan kept fighting the two in charge, besides Bill. The possessed girl and the Grand Master both sent the guards flying through the walls with single strikes.

"Get them and the rift to safety! Now!" Ford echoed his brother's sentiment.

"Guardz, fociz on zhe demon! Keep him bach!" Walter ordered as he stepped into the doorway.

"NO! THE RIFT IS MINE!" Bill leapt at the younger siblings but was halted as a group of the animated knight suits piled on him, holding the possessed girl down.

Walter sheathed his sword and grabbed both Dipper and Mabel under his arms and ran back out the door while they were frozen in shock.

"No!" Dipper shouted.

"Put us down!" Mabel did likewise. Neither twin had the heart to seriously try and harm their rescuer to try and get free, and he had an escort of four guards anyway running alongside him.

"THE RIFT IS MINE! DON'T LET THEM ESCAPE!" Bill roared from within the possessed girl as he started forcing the guards off of him with incredible fury. The Grand Master obeyed, leaving Ford to continue fighting against two Champions.

"Yes, my lord. They have seen nothing yet." Channeling dark energy, the Grand Master formed two large bat-like wings protruding from his upper back, moving out of slits in the back of his robes. His eyes and swords still glowing he launched up through the ceiling and took to the sky, quickly sighting his prey as they made it past the remaining zombies, evading and cutting through them. He roared in a fury nearly echoing his master, "Go ahead and run! But there is nowhere in the world you can run to when it is HIS WORLD!" And with that, he rocketed towards them with incredible speed and ready to strike.


	6. Chapter 6: The Dark Pursuit

Legends of Gravity Falls: The Shadow in the Forest

Chapter 5: The Dark Pursuit

Warning: This chapter contains some scenes of intense violence and some infrequent disturbing images, but nothing too graphic.

As Walter made his way through the trees and closer to the downtown area with the Pines Twins still under his arms, the Grand Master of Midnight was on their tail and closing fast. Realizing escape on foot was hopeless now that the sinister and dangerous cult leader had sprung wings, Dipper implored the vampire to let him and his sister down so they could help.

"Listen man, I know you're doing what our great uncles wanted, but if you don't let us make a stand against this guy we won't make it! He'll overtake us from above!"

"Look out!" Mabel shrieked as the monstrous human-demon hybrid began to dive on the group. The guards immediately took defensive positions as Walter halted, set the kids down, and drew his own sword.

"Vhateiver happenz here, ve face it togeither." The lord of Starnhorst Manor told everyone around him,

Dipper fired Ford's laser gun at the Grand Master, but their attacker easily dodged it. Mabel looked to Walter as a spark went off in her brain.

"Throw me up into the trees! I have a plan!" Walter and Dipper both felt their eyes widen. At that moment the Grand Master slammed into the ground and engaged the four animated knight suits, easily overpowering one in seconds.

"All vight, make zhis goot, girl. Ve need a miracle." Walter picked up Mabel by the collar of her sweater with his left hand and hurled her into the tree tops as she requested.

"Are you insane?! Mabel!" Dipper bellowed in fright.

"Fociz on zhe enemy. And hope vhatever her plan iz, it workz!" Walter replied quickly, turning both Dipper and his own focus back on the Grand Master. He had just shredded through the last piece of armor with his blades and was upon them in the next instant.

"Fall to your knees and beg for mercy! The fires of the Nightmare Realm are MINE TO COMMAND!" The enraged cult leader brought his burning blades to bare on the two before him, Walter blocking both while Dipper took aim with the gun again, only for it to be kicked out of his hands. "Surrender the rift or be broken in crushing darkness!" The robed man decreed in fury.

"Vou have to geit pazt me, virst!" Walter interrupted as he went on the offensive, using his inhuman strength to force the Grand Master back, keeping their blades locked and away from Dipper. The two men began slashing and hacking back and forth with their blades.

"Your skills with that sword may be a match for my own, but not even you can equate the power of the Great One!" The Grand Master resumed his full attack, slashing his blades back at his opponent, and while blocking a counter move with his left sword he cleaved the other through Walter, searing through the vampire, his clothes and flesh charred in the wake of the blow.

"Gah! Damn vou!" Walter bellowed in pain, but didn't back down, determined to uphold his promise. He proceeded to dropkick the cult leader, knocking him back. Dipper couldn't find the gun in the blackness of night, the light of the moon being his only guide. The Grand Master attempted to flank Walter and go right for Dipper, but again the vampire served as a barricade for the boy. "Vou vill have to keill me virst, vou vill not harm zhe boy while I draw breith!"

"You are merely an obstacle I will torch, I don't need you alive." The Grand Master replied grimly. At that moment the sound of a mechanical pop rang out, and a certain grappling hook was anchored on the right ankle of the robed man. "What the hell?! No, it's the girl!" He realized at once, but it was too late, his blades still focused on Walter.

"You don't get to hurt my family and friends and then get away with it! Up you go!" Mabel shouted. She had wrapped the grappling hook's cord around the branch she was perched on a couple times. She leapt back off the branch, using her body as weight to haul the Grand Master up and into the trees. Before he could attempt to free himself, the robed man quickly found himself entangled in the cord atop the branch, immobilized. Mabel set the hook's handle on the ground and Dipper quickly dropped a heavy rock he had picked up atop it, securing it in place.

"Hope you like the view, loser!" Dipper mocked and he and Mabel laughed. Walter chuckled as he groaned in pain from his wound. The Grand Master merely had a look of silent contemplation on his face, any visible rage gone.

"Let us leave zhis place, ve muzt geit to safety." Walter urged the kids onward. Dipper finally found the gun as they ran. Soon the three were out of sight through the forest, now entering downtown. The Grand Master closed his eyes tightly, and when he reopened them they were no longer glowing deep red, but turned into a raging inferno that burned out of his eye sockets. The fires on both blades had greatly intensified. He flipped both swords around in his hands and stabbed them both into the branch without a word or even a sound from his silent mouth. The tree glowed deep red with both burning blades stuck into it, and in the next instant the entire tree turned to ash, freeing the Grand Master as he landed on his feet, the cord of the grappling hook piling around him, steaming from the intense heat. Unfolding his wings, he returned to the sky and made for downtown, reentering the chase.

Just outside City Hall down Main Street, Dipper, Mabel, and Walter quickly caught sight of their fiery opponent closing in on them once more. In a flash of black light Walter had transformed his image into someone else, the Grand Harvester. He even held a perfect replica of the scythe. The sudden change freaked out the twins, but the vampire quickly ushered them into a side alley and explained.

"Don't vreak out, it iz ztill me. I am a strigoi vampire, ve are capable of shapesheifting at vill. I vill confuze him and hold him off. Vou two vind somevhere safe to hide. He sayz he needz both of vou alive, right? He von't reisk destroying zhe town if he can't find vou. If I can loze him I vill go to bring in backup. I have a vew favorz to call in." The twins nodded in understanding.

"If you're going to fight him alone you'll need this more than me." Dipper raised the laser gun in an offer to hand it to Walter. The vampire gave the boy a light smile.

"I thank vou, Dipper, but vou should hold on to it, just in case I fail here. Vhateiver vou do keip zhe rift safe and don't geit captured. They need all of vou vor their ritual. Now go, hurry!" The twins ran away and out of sight. Walter stepped back out onto the street to face the Grand Master, who quickly took notice and landed in front of him. Knowing he wouldn't be able to fake an American accent, Walter just remained silent as he stared down his opponent. The Grand Master did likewise, as if inspecting him. A few silent moments passed. Finally, the Grand Master smirked to himself and attacked the image of his lieutenant, who raised his scythe to block the two swords. Walter once again felt his eyes go wide as he reverted back to his normal form and weapon. "How did vou know it waz me? Zhe masquerade a strigoi castz iz a perfect rezemblance!"

"You have the Grand Harvester's image, but not his aura. I sensed the soft energy around you, weak and deceptive. But you deceived yourself, thinking you could trick me. Now die, I tire of your interference." Before Walter could react in time, the Grand Master kicked his sword out of the way and plunged both flaming blades into his opponent's chest. Walter shouted in agony as his body glowed deep red, and his eyes glowed bright white as he scowled in defiance. He then turned to ash like the tree before him, dropping his sword to the street beneath him.

The Grand Master quickly departed, leaving the ashes of his slain foe on the ground. Once he was gone, the ashes turned into something else, a dark black cloud of mist in a humanoid shape, with two glowing lights for eyes and another in the shape of a grinning mouth barring fangs. The mist picked up the fallen sword with its right hand and cackled in a twisted, bone-chilling voice as it faded away with the blade. A few blocks away, Dipper and Mabel were still running, but stopped behind a mailbox to catch their breath.

"We should… split up… that way if he catches one of us… we won't both be captured." Dipper breathed out as he panted with his hands on his knees.

"You ae right, bro. Let's meet at the manor in an hour." Mabel agreed. The two nodded with a smile and headed off in opposite directions. Within minutes despite their best efforts, Mabel turned a corner and found herself face to face with the Grand Harvester. He grinned at her in sinister delight.

"Look what I found, a lost little kitten alone on the streets at night. I will kindly bring you to somewhere warm and secure." Mabel gave a nervous smile at first, optimistically hoping it was Walter. When he revealed one of the old iron handcuffs in his left hand, her smile dropped, and she knew.

Over on the other side of the town near the lake, Dipper was looking for anything to hide in, an unlocked building, a box, or even a dumpster if needed. He was soon spotted from above by the Grand Master once again, who lunged at him. Dipper began running again, and as the cult leader swooped in he leapt onto the fire escape of a brick building and hurriedly began climbing up. With a single swing of his right fiery sword, the Grand Master cast out an arc of flame that crashed into the building right beneath the feet of the boy, melting the rest of the ladder below him and causing the entire two-story warehouse to crumble just as he got up on the roof. As the structure cracked and splintered beneath him Dipper ran across the flat roof and jumped over onto another of a separate building, just as the one behind him collapsed into fire and rubble. With a thrust of his other sword the Grand Master sent a huge fireball shooting into the second rooftop, causing this one to break down in a similar manner in seconds too. Dipper wasn't able to make a second jump and fell down into a dumpster, the trash bags cushioning his fall. He jumped out and ran across the road and down one of the docks over the edge of the lake just as a second fireball incinerated the dumpster completely. With no other option and hoping to avoid the flames, the boy jumped off the edge of the dock and into the water. Another arc of flame destroyed the dock, sending flaming and splintered pieces of wood in all directions. The impact underwater was much less severe, and Dipper was able to avoid being struck by any of the sinking fragments of the dock. He knew he would need to resurface for air any moment, and quickly realized how dire the situation was. Just as he began struggling to breathe he saw a boat roaring along the surface above him and it halted within swimming distance. In desperation he quickly swam towards it, the light of the moon his only illumination once more, shimmering on the surface above. However, just as he neared the underside of the craft along the port side, a thick rope net was dropped via a crane and snared him within moments, and he was too weak with lack of air to do anything about it. Immediately the net was raised back up by the machinery, and Dipper gasped deeply and coughed as he resurfaced. He noticed once he regained clear vision that the fishing boat was piloted by a crew of Midnight Champions, who were all grinning at their success. The Grand Master landed on the boat and approached Dipper, raising his right blade to the boy in the net. He spoke triumphantly with his own grin.

"And the locals keep saying you can't catch a prize fish in this lake anymore." Dipper narrowed his eyes as all the robed men laughed.


	7. Chapter 7: All for this Family

Legends of Gravity Falls: The Shadow in the Forest

Chapter 7: All for this Family

The Midnight Hammer had launched an all-out offensive on the downtown area, cutting off the escape of any potential witnesses to their operation. The cultists acted with cold efficiency, completely in-sync with their years of training and preparation. The police station and fire department were the first to be captured. Any resistance was quickly subdued. With phone lines and internet servers shut down thanks to sabotage and hacking, there was no chance to call for help. The orders were to capture the townspeople alive, so they could remain around to witness the end once Bill opened his gateway between the Nightmare Realm and the Earth. Despite the heavy fighting and destruction the cultists were careful not to set any large fires for the time being, less anyone elsewhere in the region become alert to what was going one. Any secure area was being used as a makeshift prison, since the cells at the police station filled up quickly. Two of the Disciples approached a Master and relayed prisoner transfers to him.

"Most of the people who surrendered without a fight are going quietly. Some continue to resist however futile it is." The first one spoke.

"It remains a useless effort. None can stand against his will and possibly win." The master replied.

"Even so we got one young girl who was more difficult than some of the men who resisted. She had quite the mouth on her. She swore at me and spat on my robes!" The second Disciple informed his superior. His comrade added next.

"She tried to bite me and said some very crude and simply untrue things about my mother! One of the higher-ups needs to teach this little wretch respect for the Hammer!"

"Mind your place, our exalted leadership has much more important things to do than discipline a brat child. Back to work, both of you." The master ordered.

"At once, sir!" The two replied in unison. A short distance away, another unfortunate Disciple was shoving said girl, her hands chained behind her, into a garage being used to house some prisoners. Grenda was not letting up.

"You think you're so tough? I've seen scarier stuff on a road trip to tourist traps! If you had any guts you'd unlock these cuffs! I'd hit you so hard off your butt your mother would feel the pain!"

"Oh my god, just shut the hell up and get in there with the other rabble already!" The cultist clamored as he felt a nasty headache.

Once disarmed, deprived of the rift, and released from the net, Dipper was kept under watch by two of the Champions on the stern end of the vessel. The stolen fishing boat continued motoring across the water, the pilot waiting for orders from the Grand Master. The leader confronted Dipper while he studied the laser gun he had confiscated.

"Remarkable, to think that after all these years his engineering remains top of the line." Dipper was surprised at the revelation.

"You know Great Uncle Ford?"

"I knew him, as you did. And we had to part ways, like you will soon enough."

"If Ford ever had any ties to you he was certainly right to break them." Dipper spat at the robed man, who felt his unseen expression in the dark stiffen.

"Enough of this prattle, you have a date with destiny, boy. Bring us back to the town immediately."

"At once, your excellency!" The cultist serving as the pilot ordered. The boat began to turn back towards Gravity Falls and Dipper briefly looked up at the sky, noticing that for a brief moment the moon was replaced by Bill's eye. The Grand Master walked over towards the bow, leaving the two Champions alone with the prisoner. Dipper rolled a few thoughts over in his head, and formulated a plan. Smirking to himself, the boy looked up to the cultist guarding him on his right.

"So, do you guys all use the same tailor? They do remarkable work on your dresses." Dipper could almost sense the infuriation in the man as he glared down at him. The boy merely gave his captor an arrogant grin.

"You are but a puny little worthless unbeliever. Mock our uniform robes all you like, at the end of the night you'll still be dead."

"No disrespect, seriously. It takes courage for a man to go out in public wearing a dress. It is still night though, so nobody in town can really see you. Are you still insecure about it?"

"Keep talking, kid. You may be needed alive for the ritual but that doesn't mean I can't turn you into a bloody pulp beforehand." The other Champion turned his head to face his comrade and address him.

"Let it go, the child is just trying to provoke you. Typical of a cornered animal, nothing more." The other cultist agreed, calming down.

"You're right, yes, you're right. The little twerp is nothing." Dipper wouldn't let up though.

"I think you could top it off with some high heels and a sunhat with a nice pink follower on it."

"Okay, that's it. I'm cutting you now." The enraged cultist drew his sword, only for the other to draw his own and block him. He warned his comrade sternly.

"Stop it! We don't have orders to strike him unless he tries to escape. If we kill him too soon the Grand Master will have our heads."

"Out of my way! It is time for this little brat to get a new scar!"

"You'll overdue it! Now stand down!"

"You stand down! I'm cutting him!"

"No you're not!"

Seizing upon the opportunity and noticing the Grand Master turning back to the stern, storming over to reprimand the two fighting cultists, Dipper quickly got up and ran across the opposite side of the boat and out of site. The Grand Master was upon the feuding Champions in moments.

"Silence! Keep your eyes on the kid, I took a risk not binding him the chains, now…" All three men noticed the prisoner was gone. The Grand Master snarled in a rage at the sight, "You fools let the kid slip away! Find him or I'm sending you overboard!" Dipper had snuck up behind the Grand Master and snatched the laser gun from his loosened hand, immediately running back the other direction. "Damn it! Seize him before he can escape!"

The three cultists gave chase, two heading up the starboard side while one Champion ran up the port side, attempting to corner Dipper on the bow. With amazing speed, Dipper jumped atop the forward cabin roof and climbed over the windshield over the pilot house, catching the cultist at the wheel off-guard. The boy was now back on the stern

"He's back here again!" The man called to the others, not able to intervene while at the controls. Dipper however fired the laser gun at them, and the cultist barely dodged in time, the wheel, gages, and the rest of the pilot station was blown up, destroying both the controls and sending the engines into overdrive. The boat sped up at top speed, and with steering and stability out of control the craft tossed and turned in multiple directions. Everyone clung to the railings along the sides as the boat finally crashed into the shore along Scuttlebutt Island, hurling Dipper off and into the sand while the rest of the men were thrown across the wrecked boat into various spots along the deck, one of the Champions even crashing through the top hatch on the bow and down into the cabin below. Dipper groaned as he caught his senses, and noticed the rift had been launched off the boat and into the sand by the impact too. The Grand Master quickly gathered his own wits and saw Dipper rise to his feet, grab the rift, and run off the beach and into the foliage.

"Assess the damage and your injuries and make it fast! Contact the Grand Harvester and alert him to the situation. I want another boat with a full company out here ASAP! Two of you scour the island and capture or destroy any other craft you find, even if it's a rowboat! I'll handle the boy myself." Spreading his wings once again the cult leader took off, pursuing Dipper further into the island. He quickly caught sight of the kid running into a cave and immediately went in after him. Dipper knew it as the grotto where the Gobblewonker craft had been wrecked by him, Mabel, and Soos on their hunt for the creature. The plan was to either hide out and lose his pursuers in the cave, or use the monster machine to escape if he could get it working. He couldn't reach it in time. The Grand Master was upon him in seconds, his flying speed incredible. With both swords drawn but not in flames, yet, the robed man stared his target down, "An impressive display. I knew you were smart and inquisitive, but your quick thinking and boldness leaves no doubt now. You are definitely a Pines, boy. Under different circumstances you may actually have been able to escape, but all you've done is delay the inevitable."

"I will never go with you willingly! As long as I'm out here, all my friends and family you have captured for sacrifices will be spared." Dipper glared at his opponent.

"Very brave, and foolish. I have you cornered and even if you kill me, you still have the rest of the cult and the Great One himself to contend with. There is no alternative but surrender. I don't wish to cause you pain, but I will if I have to. A broken prisoner is better than none at all."

"You're willing to kill me once I'm your captive but you don't want to hurt me? How gullible do I look to you?!" Dipper snapped in defense.

"The fall of this world to his will is inevitable, boy, but not everything is set in stone, yet. You and your sister have more value to me alive when this is all over than you realize. The others selected for sacrifice must die, but you and Mabel can still be spared. The plan will be serviceable with just the others, but the choice is yours to make."

"I won't give in as long as even one of them dies. Bill cannot win!" Dipper was both confused and angry at the declaration.

"You have yet to realize how doomed the world is. Nothing can stop him now. To serve is madness, but to resist and survive, impossible!"

"No cause is lost as long as there is but one person is left to fight for it!" Dipper would not back down.

"Stubborn and loyal to friends and family. You remind me of old times, boy. Your friends may be understandable, but neither Stan nor Ford deserve your loyalty. You and your sister can join me, and together we can endure the apocalypse."

"What are you talking about? 'Old times'? How do you know our family?" Dipper narrowed his eyes as he spoke.

"You've never met your grandfather, have you, Dipper?" The Grand Master asked, his voice softening a bit.

"No, he died before Mabel and I were born. We never got the chance to meet him." Dipper spoke in a similar tone, not sure where this was going. He kept his glare as the Grand Master continued.

"Well, what would you say if I told you that you had that chance right now?" Dipper felt his eyes go wide, and answered the question with his own.

"I don't understand. What are you saying?" In a serious tone laced with sympathy, the leader of the Midnight Hammer revealed the truth.

"I know Stan and Ford as a brother knows his brothers, and I know your mother as a father knows his daughter. Dipper, I am your grandfather. I am Sherman Pines." Dipper began backing up at the revelation, feeling shocked, terrified, and light-headed all at once. His expression was one of both disbelief and despair. The Grand Master, Sherman Pines, sheathed his blades and reached his right hand out and open in an offer of remorse. And, for an alliance.


	8. Chapter 8: Prelude to the End

Legends of Gravity Falls: The Shadow in the Forest

Chapter 8: Prelude to the End

In the hidden temple beneath the prehistoric caves, the final preparations were being made for the ritual. Stanley, Ford, Mabel, Wendy, McGucket, and Pacifica were all chained to metal posts driven into the stone floor atop each of the blood runes painted across the floor in the center room. The Cipher Wheel painted in blood on the wall before them was almost complete, all that remained to be finished was the eye in the center. The cultists chanted as they kneeled before the tapestries of Bill on the other walls while others, with weapons drawn, guarded the prisoners.

"The time is now, the hour is here! Tremble, unbelievers, consumed by fear! None stand before his will and survive! You will befallen, without memory or revive! Nothing shall stop us, neither curse nor prayer! The world will die without regret or care! Only in the grave shall you finally see, the reign of the Great One is meant to be!"

In the next chamber, fitted out as some kind of twisted dark cathedral with more cult banners and tapestries as well as stone pews and a sacrificial altar. The Grand Harvester and the Prime Councilman were both in the Mindscape, kneeling to Bill in reverence. The former spoke first.

"Great One, the final preparations are underway. The blood runes are ready, all but one of the sacrifices are chained in position, and we have just received word from the Grand Master that he has cornered the final sacrifice who still holds the rift. Both will be brought here shortly."

"Indeed, my family is ready to pay our debt to you, Great Lord of Mind and Eye." Preston added.

"Giving the life of your daughter as my payment. You are one stone cold mortal, Northwest." Bill half-mocked his underling.

"When my ancestor signed on to you he knew the risks and what would be required. I fulfill them to the very end." The wealthy elitist affirmed.

"Her loss will ensure eternal paradise for the rest of your family once it is all said and done. Only the faithful and successful in their service will endure for the world I will make from the ashes." Bill declared.

"Only the best of the best endure in the Midnight Hammer, Great One. The final hour approaches." The Grand Harvester grinned in sadism.

"Then let us savor every minute once it begins." Bill replied in his twisted glee. Back in the center room, the unlucky individuals chosen for sacrifice were contemplating their impending fate. Pacifica tried in vain to wiggle her wrists from the iron cuffs.

"It cannot end like this, I'm too young and pretty to die." The young blonde clamored.

"I'm not, but I still don't wanna." Stan agreed as he tried the same, ending the same as well. Ford interjected at that moment.

"Don't worry, remember as long as Dipper or the rift are beyond their reach they won't kill us. Think of this like a puzzle; they can't win unless all of the pieces are in place. Oh and sorry we have to meet again under these circumstances, Fiddleford." The researcher turned to his former partner.

"Aww shucks, I ain't fretin' over this mess. I'm just glad to be out of the junkyard. The raccoon wife is being worse of a nag than usual." The hillbilly replied. Wendy spoke up next, voicing her own concern.

"This still isn't looking good. They caught all of us without wasting a second. I've never seen such thorough work, except when my dad scarfs down a steak. I'm worried about how Dipper will fare out there."

"Let's not give up hope yet. My brother is more resilient than I think most of you realize. It wouldn't be the first time he pulled through under pressure." Mabel said as she maintained her optimism. Soos smiled and agreed.

"Yeah, dudes. Giving up won't do us any good."

"I wish I had your bright disposition. I hope the little squirt pulls through too." Stan sighed as he remarked.

"He's put himself on the line for all of us before. He's got courage, I give him that." Pacifica added. Everyone looked at her in wordless question, and she merely blushed as she looked down at the floor.

Over at Starnhorst Manor, the butler was doing his late night rounds through the building with a candle in hand when the menacing dark shadow from earlier fused through the wall to where he was, the dining room. Instantly recognizing the new arrival, the refined and emotionless gentleman greeted the shadow.

"Greetings, sir. Welcome back to your home. I haven't seen you in this form in quite some time."

"Ves, zhat iz true, isn't it? Zhe situation called for it, zhe elite folloverz of zhis demon have bein imbued vith zhe powers of hiz kind. I have never faced humanz like zhem before." The mysterious shadow replied in a familiar voice.

"I see, so this means we are going to call in a favor or two from the past, from those who still owe you debts?"

"No, ve are goeing to call in all of zhem. Zhe full power of our spirit friendz iz needed zhis time. Zummon zhem as soon as you can." Walter replied.

"Very well. I'll alert the residents."

Within the next half hour all preparations for a séance were ready. Walter, who was still in his shadow form, along with Jeeves and the spirits residing within the manor were all present in a circular room with a single round table and glass orb in the center.

"Come forth, spiritz of zhe past. I call in your debts, to be paid in full. Newer friendz still mortal and I need your aid in zhis darkest of hourz." Soon various orbs of white light appeared in the air around the room, well over two dozen of them. One of them spoke to Walter.

"So the day has come. In our own mortal lifetimes you put yourself out there for us, even risking life and limb at times. You remain even in death a good friend to us all, Walter. What do you need of us? How may we serve a friend, and friends of a friend, repay the debts we owe?"

"Zhis new town and zhe very vorld are at reisk. A demon and hiz mortal servantz threaten to destroy it all. Ve muzt combine power to save everyone and everything."

"The chieftain has spoken to us about this, but not in too much detail. We are at your disposal, Walter. From the realm of the departed we reach out to this world in your name." Another spirit orb affirmed.

"Zhen let us make haste. Time iz a luxury zhis manor does not have tonight." The vampire declared. At the same time, more animated knight armor suits and their weapons came to life in the various hallways throughout the Victorian mansion. Reinforcements were on the way.

Back at the cave on Scuttlebutt Island, Dipper was still reeling from the revelation that the leader of the cult that was terrorizing him, his friends, and family, and being worshippers of Bill all of them, was led by his own grandfather. He raised the laser gun back at the Grand Master who still had his hand outstretched for him to take.

"It doesn't matter if you are my grandfather. Everything you've done, and the fact that you work for Bill both all say I shouldn't go with you!" The boy was adamant in his conviction. The Grand Master merely frowned at the resistance of his grandson, but his eyes took on a stoic and unmoved expression.

"No doubt Ford and Stan have passed their ways of thinking into you and your sister. You two will both regret your devotion to them even if you all survive this, which is unlikely to the extreme at this point. They betrayed me, left me behind alone and broken. Nothing is stopping them from doing the same to the both of you. As I said, they don't deserve your loyalty. You don't need to die with them."

"Nobody has to die, I won't allow it!" Dipper retorted.

"A pity how strong their hold on you is, but you will understand your folly soon enough. I was once the idealistic and naïve fool they used for their benefit as well. They merely replaced one tool with another. You and your sister are the last family I have left. Everything else has been lost. As long as it is within my power you both will endure for the new world."

"We won't abandon everyone just to save our skins!"

"Then you're fate will be the same, and I will have another reason to despise the men I once called my brothers. I suppose no more words remain to be spoken. Now, you either surrender willingly or through force." The Grand Master finished as he drew both his swords back out and prepared to strike if needed. Dipper realized quickly if seriously tried to fight, he'd be at a great disadvantage. Scanning his surroundings, he saw the wreckage of the Gobblewonker craft still stuck against the rocks in the water further back in the cave. Apparently McGucket was never able to fully repair it. He saw one of the metal plates had been removed along the side, exposing the fuel tank, which more than likely still held some of the volatile substance. They boy switched his aim to the revealed tank. The Grand Master quickly took notice of what his grandson was thinking, "Don't be a fool. An explosion from that kind of machine could kill us both!"

"Then that's what it takes to stop you." Dipper pulled the trigger and in the next instant the Gobblewonker craft exploded, sending a ball of fire and pieces of broken metal flying throughout the cave. It all happened within seconds, but the Grand Master had grabbed the boy's wrist and threw him into another pool of water closer to them effectively shielding the boy from the blast. The inferno and shrapnel did reach him before he could fully fly out of the cave, causing him to crash down into the dirt at the mouth of the cave, burned and bloodied. The injuries however quickly healed away as he displayed a rapid regeneration, restoring him in moments. He coughed and caught his breath as he returned to his feet.

On the other side of the cave and just beyond the island out on the lake, Dipper surfaced in a gasp for his own breath before wading his way over to a floating piece of wreckage from the destroyed craft. He had successfully swum out the underwater entrance to the cave that linked to the pools inside of it, all the while keeping a firm grip on both the laser gun and the rift. Deciding he had only one option left to evade capture, the boy began to make his way back to shore, but away from the town in the woods. Meanwhile other stolen boats set out from the docks back at the down, each one loaded with cultists. A master addressed the groups before each craft separated to cover the lake.

"Find the sacrifice at all costs. We got teams scouring the woods but if this child is still on the water or the island, he's ours! Move out!"

"Yes sir!" The others replied in unison. Time went on, and so did the relentless pursuit. Back in the town, The Grand Master successfully led a covert attack on Town Hall, securing the valuable mayoral archives for the cult. After fighting his way through security with a team of Champions, he secured the entirety of the building. Looking out one of the windows in the mayor's office that had a view of the lake, he narrowed his eyes as he thought to himself.

 _"_ _Stan and Ford… you have already taken so much from me. My grandchildren are where I draw the line!"_

Further away at the front doors to Starnhorst Manor, a loud knocking alerted the denizens within. The butler opened them within moments. His emotionless expression remained unchanged.

"Ah, you've returned. Welcome back."

To be continued…


End file.
